When the war broke out, Robert quickly volunteered to fight. He joined ‘Bristol’s Own’ in December 1914 and was assigned to A Company. As an experienced soldier, he soon attained the rank of Sergeant-Major.

After nearly a year of training in Bristol, he travelled to Francewith the Battalion on 21 November 1915 to fight on the Western Front. He fought in the trenches during major battles including the Somme.

Robert was badly injured during the Battle of Fresnoy on 8 May 1917. He died of his wounds eleven days later on 19 May 1917. He was 38 years old.